“A thousand thanks for the box. As for the communication—”
“It’s this. Mr. Dundas was in my house at the time when, according to the doctors’ statements, the murder must have been committed. Oh, it’s a hard thing for me to come and tell you this!” I went on hastily. “Not that I’m ashamed to have received a call from him at that hour, as it was necessary to see him then, or not at all. He meant to leave Paris early in the morning. But—because I’m engaged to be married to—perhaps you know that, though, among other things?”
“I’ve heard—a rumour. I didn’t know that it amounted to an engagement. Monsieur du Laurier is to be a thousand times congratulated.”
“I love him dearly,” I said simply. And, not because I am an actress, but because I am a a woman and had suffered all that I could bear, tears rose to my eyes. “I am true to him, and always have been. But—he is horribly jealous. I can’t explain Mr. Dundas’ night visit in a way to satisfy him. If Raoul finds out that an Englishman—well-known, but of whom I never spoke—was at my house after midnight, he will believe I have deceived him. Oh, Monsieur, if you would help me to keep this secret I am telling you so frankly!”
“Keep the secret, yet use it to free the Englishman?” asked the Chief of Police gravely.
“Yes, I ask no less of you; I beg, I implore you. It would kill me to break with Raoul du Laurier.”
“Dear Mademoiselle,” said the good and gallant man, “trust me to do the best I can for you.” (I could see that my tears had moved him.) “A grief to you would be a blow to Paris. Yet—well, as you have been frank, I owe it to you to be equally so on my side. I should before this have sent—quite privately and in a friendly way, to question you about this Mr. Dundas, who passed under another name at the hotel where you called upon him; but I received a request from a very high quarter to wait before communicating with you. Now, as you have come to me, I suppose I may speak.”
“Ask me any questions you choose,” I said, “and I’ll answer them.”
“Then, to begin with, since you are engaged to Monsieur du Laurier, how do you explain the statement you made at the hotel, concerning Mr. Dundas?”
“That is one of the many things I have come here on purpose to tell you,” I answered him; “for I am going to give you my whole confidence. I throw myself upon your mercy.”